Hopes were high when the Belize Jaguars took the field in Hartford, Connecticut today – that's because there was a mathematical possibility that – even after losing its first two games – Belize had a chance to advance to the quarterfinals – that is if we could somehow win by four goals over Cuba. Now that's a mighty big "if", but when it's eleven versus eleven on the field, hope is all you have. Like thousands of Belizeans, we were watching closely – and here's how the first half went.
Jules Vasquez reporting
Belize was represented big time at today's game draping the bleachers in the Belize flag. The mass of them stood behind the Belize bench making the National Anthem audible in the vast 40,000 seat stadium and certainly producing mass cold seed during the Land of the Free.
But the game would be played on the field - not on the stands which is why goalkeeper Woodrow West was probably praying for a major miracle - Belize would have to win by four goals to advance.
The team did show a defensive attitude early on as Deon McCauley charged for this ball but every other time he got the ball he was smothered. The team tried to find shots on goal and had a few good looks and even found some space but what they gained in offence they lost in defence and in a pattern that would become symptomatic of the entire game. The Cuban strikers easily got pass the Belize defenders leaving Woodrow West to make multiple dramatic saves.
West was on point but demonstrative and angry with his defenders who could not keep the Cubans infront of them.
Cuban's goalkeeper Molina didn't have much work in the first half while stayed very busy and very angry as the Cubans kept passing his defenders to attack and after a while it would be a matter of time before Cuba capitalized on a multiple defensive breakdown and scored in the 37th minute.
Belize made it to the half down only one-nil but clearly exposed.
And while Jules Vasquez tracked the first half, in the second half where it didn't get much better for team Belize. In fact it got much worse – as the team, already wobbly on defence was full exposed to an attacking Cuba side. Here's how it went quickly downhill in the second half.
The second goal came from Cuba's Striker Martinez in the 64 minute. After Defender Ian Gaynair is ejected for 2 yellow cards, the Belizean defensive line completely opened up, and Martinez scored another goal at the 84th minute.
In the injury time, Cuba squeezed in one more goal on Belize, qualify for the second round with their goal average.
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